By Regina Slater

I’ve never really been a big “gun enthusiast,” never really thought I needed a gun to protect myself. I stay away from “could be disastrous” situations, I’m very situationally aware of my surroundings and I’d like to think that my lifestyle keeps me off the criminal target list. All of that took a swift 180 degree turn on a cool summer night while I sat watching a less-than-exciting movie with my lazy but loyal dogs . . .

It was like any ordinary night, I had been home from work for only about 3-4 hours and my stomach begged me to ravage the fridge. I turned on the kitchen light and from my kitchen window I can see the rest of the neighborhood is sound asleep, or so it seemed. I barely opened my fridge when there was a stern knock at my front door. The dogs went crazy and as I walked closer to the door I heard from the other side “Las Vegas Police, Open the door!”

Surprised, confused and suddenly terrified, the first thing that popped into my head was that something had happened to my husband who was obviously not at home with me, but was supposed to be at work at the time. I yelled out “I’m putting the dogs away” and in reply I received “Ma’am put the dogs away and open the door, NOW!” Now I’ve had my traffic run-ins with the police but never had a bad experience with them and surely if something horrible had happened they wouldn’t be so rude and demanding.

After the dogs were securely locked downstairs, I slowly opened the door, fearing what kind of news would await me on the other side. To my surprise there was no cop standing in my front doorway but a mid 20-something-year-old wearing shorts and a washed out T-shirt. Before I could blink he grabbed my arm and tried pulling me out of my house. Luckily for my quick reaction time I pulled my arm back and tried pushing the door closed. But before I could close the door all the way, a tip of a tennis shoe popped into sight. I put all my force on the door, hoping that his tiny foot wouldn’t be able to handle the pressure, but I’m only 120-something pounds and you can guess that’s not going to have a lot of force.

It felt like an eternity that I was standing there pushing on the front door while from the other side, the force of a mid-20-year-old pushed back. I couldn’t stand there all night so I had one of two choices; 1) Somehow get the front door closed, which didn’t seem that likely since I was already getting tired, or 2) Make a run for the bedroom where my husband kept his Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 9mm and hopefully reach it in time to protect myself before this young, up-and-coming criminal could catch up with me. I made the move and rushed up the stairs like I was going for the winning touchdown of a Super Bowl game, reaching the bedroom and locking the door behind me just as I heard footsteps at my bedroom door.

Now I’m not completely unknowing of how to handle a gun. My husband had me take a couple shooting classes just so I could get myself familiarized with the guns he kept in our home and also had me memorize the lock code to our safe, just in case anything happened. I payed attention and humored him, but in the back of my mind I always thought that this information would never come into play.

I was wrong and at the very moment that I retrieved the gun from the safe, my bedroom door came flying open. I turned around and to the surprise of this young buck who clearly had ill intentions from the beginning, instead of being face to face with a scared women who was home alone, he was staring into the barrel of a 9mm. With a little more courage and a hell of a lot more power backing me, I gave him a clear warning, “Take one more step and I’ll shoot.”

Luckily this young man was no idiot and at that moment probably valued his life more then he ever has and took to the stairs quicker than I could blink. With a sigh of relief, I picked up the phone and dialed 9-1-1 and relayed the events that had just occured and then phoned my husband. As I filled out the police report and waited for my husband to come home, the police officer told me that another officer had caught the man just a few blocks away trying to hop a wall and that I could now rest easy knowing he will be behind bars.

Needless to say, that event changed my life for the better. I educated myself on all the guns my husband has in our home, regularly go to the range and practice with each and every one, and am even in the process of obtaining my CCW. I watch and listen to the news all the time, hearing about break-ins, robberies and all the horrible things people do to each other. In the back of my mind I can’t help but think how some of those situations could have ended differently if that person had a gun and could have protected themselves and or family.

I’ve come to realize that guns aren’t all bad. Not only can they protect you but can save a life, like it did mine. I would never want to go through what I went through again, but I know if it does…I will be ready.

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82 COMMENTS

    • “A gun is like a parachute – if you need one and don’t have one, you will probably never need another one.”

      And God created men and women, but Sam Colt made them equal.

    • I’m glad it worked out for her, but it was a very close call.

      Never, ever open the door to your home to any cop under any circumstance unless you called to invite them in (which is almost always a very bad idea). Any time a cop knocks on your door without following it by breaking the door down tells you they do not have a warrant to enter your home.

      The police are not interested in protecting anyone but themselves and they tend to do that extremely aggressively. They do their best to escalate any kind of confrontation in hopes of stacking charges. The police in this country are a total disgrace.

    • Plus one of those heavy-duty, 1000-lb force resistant locking outer grill-type screen/storm doors, opening outwards, with a deadbolt lock on it. Gives you the option of talking to someone who cannot then force their way through the door. Figure about $600 installed – well worth the money.

        • The door gives you a few more options if the “surprise guest” is a cop – you have a chance to ask to see the warrant before he shoves his way into your house, and you can keep the polymer pistol neatly tucked behind the main front door as it opens inward.

          • I recommend and install security storm doors, especially for older people. There are some real good looking choices out there, and price-wise quite a few options.

    • At every house where I’ve lived, my first add-on purchase (if it doesn’t already have one) has been a PIR (Passive Infra-Red) porch light. It also helps with getting the key in the door when you just get home in the dark, and it’s cheaper in the long run than leaving the light on all night..

  3. You shouldn’t have had that gun. You should have called the police after something bad has already happened. Don’t you know that your gun could have been used against you?! How dare you protect yourself. /SARC/

    • I don’t see your comment as sarcastic Bill, that’s actually their narrative. That’s what they believe. That she should pee or barf on herself to dissuade her attacker. This isn’t make believ, they really do believe it’s better to be a victim.

      • I added the sarc because I know it’s true and I wanted to make very clear on the convoluted internet that it was not an opinion I share.

        • BillC, THANK YOU for remembering when to remind your words on the internet are sarcastic or not. Remember peeps, voice tones are hard to decipher through the net.

  4. Stories like this always lose a little credibility when the EXACT name and model of the gun is used… It smacks of an advertisement.

  5. Thanks for your story. It’s terrible you had to go through such a scare, but you kept your wits and stood your ground. This is the kind of narrative people need to hear — it’s not paranoid; it’s prepared.

    I’m a broad-minded man, but I don’t understand those who think it’s morally superior to be victimized than use a gun to scare off a predator. Seems like everything turned out as it should have for Regina and her “visitor.”

  7. Stories like THIS are what need to be on CNN, etc. Is it possible for these kinds of stories to at least get more attention locally?

    • Things like this often make the local news, national news not so much. Of course, it doesn’t fit their favored narrative, but it was also bloodless. Need some gore to get those ratings up.

    • That wouldnt help their agenda much. msNBC, CNN, HLN, etc need to perpetuate the lie that guns dont help anyone. Cant let these ruin their goal

    • Google Las Vegas home invasion in google news and see how much actually pops up, even on the local level. Practically none.
      I dont know if its because they think crime stories will impact tourism revenue or what.

  8. Yep; I started carrying a weapon after a guy tried to mug me; nothing like the reality of possibly being severely injured or killed to change ones perspective on the usefulness of carrying a gun.

  12. Great story. I hope that others learn from Mrs. Slater’s experience. She certainly showed a bit of fortitude there in knowing what do to, and doing it – before it was too late. CNN certainly isn’t going to show stories like these, nor the ones that end in disaster because the person had no means to defend themselves. But they sure seem to go into full wall-to-wall coverage mode any time there’s a shooting in a gun free zone.

  13. Should have left that piece of refuse lying on the floor at room temperature, anyone who is willing to chase you into your house has any number of unspeakable things on their mind. Luckily he got picked up that same night, but man I wonder what the spread on those odds looks like.

    Very happy to hear that no harm came to you 🙂

  14. every day that I go out, I think to myself: “have I ever been attacked yet? do I really need to bring my handgun with me this time?” and then I think: “well… if I don’t bring it this time something bad will happen… I better bring it and not need it.” I’m very fortunate to not ever of had anything happen to me. But I’m ready.

    • I’m with you. I’ve been carrying now for about 2 years, and I STILL have this thought every time I strap up. How ridiculous is it that I need to carry a firearm every where I go? I’m just running to the grocery store, do I really need to take the time to throw it on my belt? For me, at least, the answer always comes back yes, due to your very logic. I fear, better yet dread, the thought that I’ll be out and about and, I chose not to carry. It haunts me, so every day that I get to wake up in the morning, my Glock 26 comes along for the ride, without fail.

      • Put the bedside .40 away, strap on the Shield. Done.
        Don’t make it a choice each morning, just make it a DO.

        Back in college, people that would exercise a choice to go to class each morning, dropped out.

        • Got to say, that is my operating system since 1986. US Army kinda frowned on that sort of activity in the barraks and on duty.

    • Paraphrasing a quote I saw once:
      My greatest fear is that my last thought will be, “I wish I had a gun right now.”

    • [It was like any ordinary night]

      In 30 years of teaching handgun I’ve heard countless self-defense stories. Almost all of them started out, “It was a routine day in a safe location in a peaceful situation. Then…”

      So I always carry my handgun where I don’t think I’ll need it.

      • Its that one in a million, but SOMEONE is going to win that lottery. Better to be prepared if you do get that unlucky win

      • Over the years I have known several people who were robbed/assaulted and everyone of them just thought it was a regular day or night or whatever. That is how criminals work, everything just same old same, right up to the point they strike. Funny how that works.

    • Coming up on 20 years with a CCW permit.
      So glad nothing has happened and hope it never will….
      but just in case……….

    • Exactly! Everyone knows the police prefer to have them loose in the house… thrill of the hunt and all that.

  16. Kudos to her! These stories REALLY need to get out to all the news channels (as lousy as they are), including locals and papers.

  17. If she had shot the intruder Joe Nocera would have published it on his blog as “gun violence” that needs to be stopped.

    Evie Hudak would have preferred this situation be a rape rather than “gun violence”

  18. I am happy as can be to hear that the author was unharmed in the attack. I will certainly share this with my wife in the hopes that she further understands my motivations for showing her how to operate all of our firearms and for my desire for her to have a Concealed Handgun License.

  20. I stay away from “could be disastrous” situations…

    Perhaps, but they come looking for you. Unfortunate you had to learn the hard way. Fortunate your ok.

  21. Moral of the story: Don’t EVER open your door to ANYONE unknown or unexpected, EVEN if they CLAIM to be the police. Never. Ever. Period.

    Glad to hear it ended well. It could have been a very ugly ending.

      • About ten years ago, in San Pedro, CA, I called the gendarmes because I thought I had heard gunshots in the street. When they got here, I stepped out of the front door and chatted with them on the landing. We all concluded it was probably fireworks, and we all went on about our business. I didn’t want them to come in because my revolver-shaped BB pistol was sitting on the coffee table right next to my bong. 😉

  22. Just curious, isn’t Clark County in Nevada? Isn’t Nevada a shall issue state? What exactly is her “process” for getting permit? Filling out the form?

    • Yeah shall issue but jas requirements. 8 or 10 hour (i forget) class and qualification, then 3 month wait.

      • Wow, so, once you are dead from a home invasion or carjacking the county will be sure to mail that permit right away. After the safety course and NICS check what else do they need to do? Jeebus.

        Here in PA it is 30 days or less, unless you are in county such as Allegheny or around Philidirtyia.

        • In the smaller counties ive heard they get them in a couple weeks, Clark says dont even ask until its been 90 days.

        • I live in PA, and when I got my LTCF in 2010, I was out of there in 20 minutes with permit in hand. Although now with the greatly increased number of applications, it can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.

          • Yea, first time I got one in the early ’90s it was a walk in, fill out form, have a seat while the called your references, here is your permit have a good day.

            Last year I renewed and it was listed as 30 days till issue, they called in 17 days and said come get it. Had to use new references, all my old ones had passed away, so they treated it as a new application, otherwise it would have been an immediate issue.

  23. She should have shot him. He will be out on bail before the sun sets the next day. And who knows what he will do to his next victim.

    • Given the choice of shooting and not having to shoot, im going to pick the latter.
      The emotional impact of shooting someone along with all the possible civil and/or criminal risk just isnt worth it IMO.

      • Its unfortunate we live in a world where thats even a possibility. People like this are clearly threats to society and need to be imprisoned as such. No more plea deals for violent offenders.

        • Anyone who will chase a woman into her home, all the way to her bedroom, is not someone who needs to be sitting in a cell soaking up money and food for a life time. She should have shot him. She, in fact, should be smacked for not doing so.

          These kinds of “people” do the sh*t they do because they know they have a good chance of not being killed for it. Changing that dynamic, therein lies the answer.

          • I 100% totally agree with you.

            U.S. criminal penalties are the weakest on Earth. There is NO DETERRENT factor if you give them weak penalties and let them live in country clubs. These scumbags have “rights” now.

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